Our Non Profit

It's Time for the "Grocery Store" Bus!​A Food Bank on wheels!

We need your prayers and financial help if you can!

Grocery Store Buses

Just the thought of this idea sounds funny. What in the world are Grocery Store Buses? Simply, a Grocery Store Bus is just what it sounds like, a grocery store on wheels. The purpose of these buses is to provide food for those people that are in need. These buses will service the people that do not have the means to get back and fourth from a food bank. The idea of food banks is wonderful. We need them and they serve a great service to our society and to the needy. But the problem with most of the food banks is that people who cannot afford food usually do not have the ability to get to the food banks themselves. This is a problem that the Grocery Store Bus program will service.

What do these Grocery Store Buses look like? Provided below is a diagram of what a typical bus will be modeled to look like when finished. In the beginning, we will take an older bus that is in good condition, maybe an old Greyhound bus for instance and refurbish it into a Grocery Store Bus. These buses will provide all types of food items. Really the same thing you can get in a grocery store. There will be both dry storage, refrigerated and frozen foods as well.

When a bus has been located and purchased, it will first be stripped of everything inside making it completely open. These buses will then be transformed into what you see above. Each bus will have refrigerated units both on the main level of the bus along with additional refrigerated and frozen storage in the space provided below the bus, typically where the luggage would have been carried. Along with refrigerated storage there will also be dry storage in both the main level of the bus and the dry storage that will be created under the bus. Below the bus near the back storage areas will be the generator unit. This will consist of two generators. The main generator will be a larger more powerful unit. This generator will be used for general operation. If for some reason themain generator is not working, then a smaller back up unit will then be utilized. Each generator will be located in the same lower storage area of the Grocery Store Bus.

The main level will look just like a mini grocery store. Each bus will be operated by two individuals. When you first walk into the bus, you will be greeted by the driver who will take your name, check your ID and provide you with your shopping list and shopping bags. The customer will then be able to walk through the bus picking out whatever it is he or she needs for that day. Each customer will be able to pick 15 items per visit. The customer may also pick only two of the same item. Once the customer has completed their shopping they will proceed to the rear of the bus. There will be a check out person that will take the customers shopping list and record all the items the customer has chosen. Once the items have been listed on the shopping list, the customer will sign the shopping list acknowledging what items have been received and a copy will be given to the customer and kept for permanent record keeping for the bus. All items given away need to be carefully tracked and monitored for legal reasons. The Health Department wants each bus to have the ability to know when, where and to whom food items were distributed on any given day. That is why the shopping list is a very important monitoring system that needs to be used with every food bus distribution.

To Bless us and help us with this project using your Credit Card click the link below

To Bless us by sending a CheckMail To:Hope for the Poor1679 Reed Street #1Lakewood, CO 80214

Help us find one of these

Then turn it into one of these!

We Found a Bus!Can You Help with the next step?

The Grocery Store Bus is becoming a reality! Thanks to Jim Nordhaugen at Colorado National Speedway, we now have our first bus! Jim has this bus available to us for only $1.500.00. We are in process of purchasing this bus on payments of $500.00 a month for three months. Now we need to renovate the bus! Here are the steps in this process;

1) Gut the interior of all seats2) Put in shelving for non perishable foods3) Put in shelving for perishable foods4) Purchase cooling units for cold storage and install5) Purchase and install a generator for mobile power on the bus6) Find a place to store the bus7) Establish a relationship with a food bank to work with on food8) Paint or wrap the exterior of the bus9) Pray a lot!

If you can help us in any way, please join the "HFTPA"!. We are still a long way from making this a reality, but with your help and God's Power, we can make this happen!

I was blessed to have received this email from Bruce Pearson, a strong Servant helping out kids in their need of guidance, mentorship and direction. We had talked about getting some of these kids in my race car so they can experience what it feels like to be on a real race track going fast. We did that last Friday. Bruce brought four kids out to experience racing. Receiving this email is the reason God has given me any ability at all to do the things he has me doing. Many days go by and I feel I am not making a difference. God showed me today I have through him. That makes all the hardships and struggles worth it! Unfortunately the last kid that drove my car put it into the wall and jacked up the front end pretty bad. We were unable to race effectively the next day or even finish a race. But, if asked to do it all over again I would! Giving back is what our lives should be about and I feel privileged to have been given that opportunity and look forward to many more. Can't wait to get these kids out again!

"Thank You God for all you do in my life. Thank you for blessing me with the opportunity to effect these kids in a positive way. Please, keep your strength, ability and provision coming so I can do more things just like this each and everyday. Just as Jesus washed the Apostles feet, give me the ability to do the same to all my Brothers and Sisters in need. I Love you so much and I thank you for Jesus and all you do in my life. I thank you and worship you in the name of Jesus!"

God Bless You All

Matthew SowashPresident/CEOSDG Solutions

Help Us by joining ​"HFTPA"! Just $50.00 per month can make a big difference in a teenager's life by supporting ​"Racing for Youth"

We Prefer Checks so no processing fees are incurred. You can make checks payable to;"Hope for the Poor"1679 Reed Street #1Lakewood, CO 80214Any Questions call 720-309-7523

Receive some great benefits! When you become a partner in the "HFTPA" you are eligible to great some great gifts each month too! Join Today!

Can you donate a car for this project? can you bring financial support? Can you or your organization be a part of this project in any way? If so, please send us your information and Matt will get back to you ASAP! We would love your support!

The Recidivism Rate for Men and Women coming out of prison is well over 60% in ColoradoWe are housing the same People in our Prisons time and time again!!!It's time to do something about this problem!!!

"Jobs Initiative" Program

Can Your Child Benefit from"Racing for Youth" ?

We would love to talk with you about having your son or daughter be a part of our "Racing for Youth" program. We are looking for five kids right now to begin the program for the 2017 race season. This after school program will be on Tuesdays and Fridays from 4:00pm to 8:00pm. We will also be meeting on Saturdays during our scheduled races at Colorado National Speedway. There will be eleven races total this year at the track. On those days we will be leaving for CNS at 12:00pm and probably won't be getting the kids home until 10:00pm. It's a long day but full of fun and excitement!

I encourage you to have your kids be a part of our family. We want to show these children Love first, responsibility second, togetherness third and a whole lot of fun after that! This program does entail some work on the children's behalf. But we will be teaching them basic auto mechanics, auto body fabrication, organizational skills and a whole lot of Love. Each day will end with a mentoring session with everyone that will include a group discussion on life, Faith and Love. Let us know who you are by providing us your information.

A Bag Lunch Goes a Long Way!

Making sure someone has enough to eat each day is very important. We take for granted the food we have for ourselves sometimes. Taking a look at the needs of others is paramount in how we are to treat those less fortunate. Yes, most of the homeless choose this type of lifestyle. But if we can show them love and compassion, maybe, just maybe we can have an impact on their decision to live on the streets.

Love can heal a lot of pain in someone's life. This Bag Lunch program is just a small step in maybe providing a little relief along with a lot of Hope for some of these men and women. See all the details of this program and more in our "Vision" Statement for this ministry! Thank you and God Bless You!

The "Job Skills Training" Initiative has been Launched!

We are very excited to announce our commitment to providing a change to those men and women coming out of prison. Most of these people that have been incarcerated and have a struggle in finding a good job. This struggle usually leads them right back to what put them in prison in the first place. With the advent of our Television shows, "Racing for Glory" and "BurnOut", we have begun to train men from the ACTC Halfway House to help produce these shows. We are currently teaching video production, camera operation and hopefully soon editing to these men.

It is great to see the excitement on the faces of the individuals involved when they know they have successfully created a product worth airing on television. This brings fourth a positive type of pride and self worth that will hopefully continue on in their lives whether or not they continue on in this field. We are dedicated to providing an opportunity for these men and women through our television efforts and encourage you to come join us in this unique training opportunity!

We would like to thank the following individuals for supporting this project so far in 2015!

Robert Grieve "Nylunds Collision Center" Brad Gereaux "PDQ Printing"

The Initiatives begin forThe "Grocery Store Bus" & The "Rescue Ranch"We are excited to announce the beginning of these two initiatives. These are big steps in our ministry and hopefully, combined with our job skills training program in our video production training initiative, we can really begin to make a difference in these men and women's lives coming out of prison. Below you will find what our Ministry is all about. In this document are these two initiatives located in the "Services" part of this Vision. We invite you to take a look at what we are trying to accomplish in our service to these individuals.

"Vision Statement"for the Ministry

God gave me a "Vision" for a ministry he wanted me to live my life and serve him in Love. The following outline is what God showed me while I was sitting in a small cell in prison. Praise God for his Love and guidance

​ Matthew Sowash

I. Our Mission

The goal of this ministry is to provide a helping hand to the men and women coming out of prison. The objective is to show the world what it means to Love your Brothers and Sisters by not only providing immediate need to those suffering but providing a solution to those problems as well. Although the focus will be on the incarcerated and their release, our mission will be accomplished by giving a helping hand to all people who need it. Everything provided by these services is given through the mercy of the people and businesses providing help and the businesses that are created to support all these programs. In this Vision, we will be looking at the services themselves which provides relief and the businesses that will be developed to help support these service programs financially.

We were given a new command in the Bible; John 13:34-35; “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Jesus led by example serving his people. He showed us how to serve so that we could serve. The best way to love a fellow Brother or Sister is to help them and serve them. It does not matter if the people you help believe in Jesus Christ or not. We show our Love and devotion to Christ by providing that Love to whoever needs it unconditionally. Showing Love through actions and not just words is what this ministry is all about. The purpose of this program is to put our words in motion and actually do some good for those in need. Some people can only provide money, some can only provide time, some can provide both and more. By doing this, we can transition people from being in need to providing help to those in need. We have to stop enabling and start providing a solution for those who need help instead of just feeding into their problems with short term solutions.

II. Introduction

Our purpose in life is to help and serve others. These services being talked about will accomplish that for all those that are falling short and need someone to lift them up. Someone needs to step up and provide relief. That someone is you and me. We have to be that vehicle. How great would it be to take someone that has nothing, someone that is lost and needs a helping hand and really help that person! For instance, a man is begging for change under the viaduct of a highway. Instead of just tossing him a quarter, how about changing his or her life for the better. Let’s give that person a place to eat a good meal. Let’s give that person a place to sleep in a warm and loving environment. Give that person a job, a stable place to live and all the Love and Comfort someone could ever want. Show that person Love. That is what we are called to do and that is what can be accomplished through “Hope for the Poor”. Not everyone will accept our help. But by providing Love first then gaining trust and developing a relationship with those in need, our chances of success in their lives is greatly increased. That is what we want to do!

The first service programs being talked about will establish trust and provide basic needs for those who need help. We will begin the healing process by getting to know the sick and find out the best way to heal them. The problem with programs today is that wesimply provide a need as quickly as possible and not provide a solution. We want to do both. By providing basic needs like food and clothes, we can identify and solve the needs of people and then get to know them. Once we know them and they know us, we can then move the ones willing to move forward to a place of stability, education, job training, housing and eventually independence. Once independence is reached, then hopefully these people will join our efforts along the way and become part of the solution and not the problem. That is our goal. Transformation from the needy to providing the need! For some this will take a lot of work. Some it will take no work at all. No matter what the desire is for the individual, we must continue to pour Love into them. Hopefully someday the desire to help themselves through Love will develop.

III. What are we looking for?

Several of the businesses and service programs are already in motion. These programs are in green and italics in the table of contents. We want to put all of this vision in motion. To do this, we need Partners to go on this journey with us. We need people that will become support systems for this vision in any way they can. God called us to be a body of people. At the head of this body is Christ. Now we need all the other working parts to this body. We ask that you become those parts of the body we need. We need financial support through working with one of the businesses being developed. We need volunteers to help distribute food, transport people, provide supplies for projects, prayer and anything else you can help with in becoming a Partner with us on this Vision God has provided. We are not an island. We are the hands and feet of Christ. We need you.

IV. Service Programs

This information will be broken down into two segments. The first segment will talk about the programs that have been developed and will be developed to help those in need. It is important to note that these programs are not designed to enable people with their current lifestyle. These programs have been developed to provide immediate needs, gain trust, provide needed lifestyle and developmental skills and eventually provide a productive way of life for each individual in need. We will then look at the business opportunities that have been implemented and the ones waiting to be put in motion to help provide financial provision for these services.

V. Bag Lunch & Essentials Program How it works

This program is very simple in scope but very important in the initial process of trying to help someone. Each day we go downtown either in the morning or at lunch time and provide a bag lunch for the homeless. This bag lunch will either have a breakfast sandwich or lunch sandwich, crackers, granola bar or danish. We are also able to provide a cup of hot coffee with each meal as well. By doing this each day we solve a basic need of food that all of us have but some of us have difficulty in providing.

Along with providing bag lunches, we will also provide a pick up and provide essentials to men and women coming out of prison. We will be picking up recently released inmates and make sure they have the following upon release:

1) I.D.2) Food Stamps 3) Medicaid4) Clothes

By providing these basic needs upon release from prison, a former inmate has some of the essentials they need to reincorporate themselves back into society. The next steps will be to find a job and shelter. Those are bigger problems that need solving.

Are We Still Enabling?

For us to provide help, we must first gain trust to those in need. If the end game of this program was simply to provide food for the individual in need then the answer to this question would be yes, we are just enabling. But that is not our end game. Our end game is to really provide a solution to the problems these people are having and to do that, we need to know who they are, gain their trust and let them understand that we really do care and we really do want to help. By doing this, our chance of success in getting these people off the streets is greatly increased. So no, we are not enabling, we are simply beginning the process of help that will hopefully last a lifetime!

What’s the Future of the Program?

We want this program to become extinct! What does this mean? This means that we want to be able to get the people in need off the streets and no longer in need of this service. Will this program itself become extinct? Probably not because there will always be people in need of food. For those people we want to eventually have a mobile “Roach Coach” unit that can set up daily in a different location and provide free sandwiches and beverages to those in need. But this program can become extinct for those people we are able to help and transition off the streets and into a productive way of life.

VI. “Recovery” Wednesday Night’s Together Where Do We Meet?

In the past the Wednesday night meetings were held at Wendy’s on 6th and Grant in Denver. The meeting time was 6:30pm and usually went till about 8:00pm or 8:30pm depending on the night. We do not currently do the meetings downtown anymore. The plan is to expand these meetings into the Halfway House system here in Denver, Colorado.

What Do We Do?

During these meeting times, we first get something to eat for everyone. Chicken Sandwiches, Burgers, Baked Potato’s, Chicken Wraps, Fries, Frosties and Water are the usual menu items we purchase for the Homeless that attend. The goal is to turn this into a weekly sit down meal for not only the homeless, but anyone that wants to be a part of helping others. This meeting will be known as “Recovery”. We then just sit and talk about how their week is going and what they have coming up. If anyone is in need of a ride or any other assistance that week we will make arrangements for that to be accommodated. We will also listen to their problems and concerns. Even though these people live on the streets, that does not mean that they do not have things they want to talk about and share. We are an ear to listen, arms to hug and support if needed to each one of these individuals.

Many times we will read some scripture that the Homeless themselves will suggest. Other times we will do nothing but just talk. There is no common structure for each night. We simply do and provide what these people want to do each Wednesday night we meet.

Why Do We Do It?

If you don’t know someone, then how can you help someone? The Homeless are people just like you and me. Our Wednesday night meetings are something that these individuals know will happen each week and can come to share what they have going on in their lives. Some may come to just get something to eat. Some may come to just get warm. But no matter the reason they come, they will always know that someone does care and love for them and not heard them in and out like cattle. This is the beginning of change. The instilling of the idea that they are not alone and if they want to change, there is an opportunity for them to change through what we provide in “Hope for the Poor”.

VII. Give

What is the Give Thrift Store?

The name speaks for itself. We simply give furniture items to those in need. No questions asked. If you are in need of some type of furniture and we have it, we give it. Most of the time will even deliver the furniture for that individual as well. Most of the furniture we get is donated. We then store it in a small warehouse and then deliver it as needed. That’s it! Simple but so much fun to do!

Who Receives the Furniture?

Anyone who needs it? If you are in need, we will deliver! Not too complicated. Most of the people we serve are young married couples with children, men and women coming out of prison and single mothers. But we do not limit our help. If you need it, we will bring it.

Future?

We would like to eventually have a Thrift Store style of warehouse to store all of our furniture donations. Through this warehouse we will be able to wholesale great deals to the public along with providing a free service to those who cannot afford to purchase their furniture needs.

VIII. Living Water

This program revolves around identifying the needs of single mothers and fatherless children and providing for those needs. We are not just praying for those needs. We are not just talking about the possibilities of providing a solution. We are not just identifying needs and walking away from those needs. The “Living Water” Project is providing for the needs of those who need help without enabling a current problem that is continued by doing the easy thing which is throwing money at the problem. The “Living Water” project will provide solutions to these problems.

How Does It Work?

We begin by calling all the single mothers on the client list. The single mothers are asked what is physically lacking in their home. Do they need a new water heater, carpet, shower or whatever the current needs are for their home. Encompass will then begin the process of finding those needed items. Calls are made to anyone and everyone who can help until those needed items are located and obtained. Once obtained, they are installed by Encompass staff. It’s that simple. Identify the problem and fill the need. That is what the “Living Water” Project does.

How Can I Help?

Volunteers

You can first volunteer your time helping us install whatever project is on the horizon. If you have a skill like installing carpet, we can use you. If you can do plumbing, we can use you. If you can do electrical wiring, we can use you. If you can swing a hammer, we can use you. Your time is valuable and your skills are desired. We can use both to help us complete the projects that God has put on our hearts through our single mothers. You can inquire about volunteering at www.readtherock.com. Just click on the “Living Water” tab and you can fill out a quick information box for volunteers. Someone will contact you with all the projects on the horizon and discuss which ones you want to help out and accomplish with us.

Supplies

We are always in need of construction and installation supplies. If you want to go to the hardware store and pick up our never ending needed construction materials we would be ecstatic! We have a constant list of needed materials on our website at www.readtherock.com Just click on the “Living Water” tab and you can see all that is needed.

IX. SDG School of Broadcasting and Production School

What Is Being Taught?

Hope will be providing education to men in the Halfway House system to help them gain a valuable trade skill and a good paying job. This education will begin with classroom settings and the ability to work with the SDG Broadcast and Publishing entity of Hope for the Poor or any other broadcast and video production job opportunities. To advance into the broadcast programs for SDG Broadcast and Publishing for employment or other job searching services, each individual will have to take part in the Hope Multi Media Production program. This will actually be more of an internship position for each participant being helped off the streets and will earn a wage while training to work for SDG Broadcast & Publishing or any other TV, Radio or Publishing house in the area. The main goal of Hope is to help bring people in need to a more independent lifestyle and the ability to give back based on what they have gained. This school is the beginning of that process. The school will provide a free education program to these men in transition to learn the skill of video production, camera operation and broadcast basics. This will be a two day a week classroom setting that will provide hands on real life production of several television shows being produced by Hope. These shows will include “Racing for Glory" and "BurnOut" currently airing on Comcast Entertainment Television. This is the first of many training programs to provide real life skills for real life jobs!

The first classes have begun. These men will have classroom teachings one night per week for two hours each night to start. These classes will have hands on teaching and practical applications of all aspects of video production. They will also participate in the filming and production of the two TV Shows being produced by SDG Solutions on the Comcast Entertainment Television Network for some great on hands experience.

This will eventually become an accredited program that people will pay to gain experience and become a part of the entire HFTPA experience and program events.

Weekly Class Schedule

Tuesday Evening’s Classroom Currently not Available

Thursday Evening’s Classroom 7pm - 9pm

SaturdayTaping“Racing for Glory" & "BurnOut" 12pm -10pm

Other Training

Some other training services that will be offered through the school will be wedding and other special event video projects. Hope will be booking as many special event functions as possible as both hands on training and financial revenue source for the school. By using these types of events as training tools, the students can go into private practice with video events with good experience behind them since they have actually participated in these events during their schooling. Each special event will have a staff of four to five students working the event along with the instructor so a quality, well organized product can be produced.

We are very excited about this program. It is our first initiative to provide job skills and hopefully a better way of life for some of our sisters struggling to make ends meet each day. Please feel free to help in any way possible. We can use volunteers for the filming of the shows; donations of lap top computers, video editing software, video production equipment, broadcast production equipment, guest speakers for the classes if you have experience and want to share that with our students. Along with anything else you can provide to the program that may be beneficial.

X. Grocery Store Buses

Just the thought of this idea sounds funny. What in the world are Grocery Store Buses? Simply, a Grocery Store Bus is just what it sounds like, a grocery store on wheels. The purpose of these buses is to provide food for those people that are in need. These buses will service the people that do not have the means to get back and fourth from a food bank. The idea of food banks is wonderful. We need them and they serve a great service to our society and to the needy. But the problem with most of the food banks is that people who cannot afford food usually do not have the ability to get to the food banks themselves. This is a problem that the Grocery Store Bus program will service.

What do these Grocery Store Buses look like? Provided below is a diagram of what a typical bus will be modeled to look like when finished. In the beginning, we will take an older bus that is in good condition, maybe an old Greyhound bus for instance and refurbish it into a Grocery Store Bus. These buses will provide all types of food items. Really the same thing you can get in a grocery store. There will be both dry storage, refrigerated and frozen foods as well.

When a bus has been located and purchased, it will first be stripped of everything inside making it completely open. These buses will then be transformed into what you see above. Each bus will have refrigerated units both on the main level of the bus along with additional refrigerated and frozen storage in the space provided below the bus, typically where the luggage would have been carried. Along with refrigerated storage there will also be dry storage in both the main level of the bus and the dry storage that will be created under the bus. Below the bus near the back storage areas will be the generator unit. This will consist of two generators. The main generator will be a larger more powerful unit. This generator will be used for general operation. If for some reason themain generator is not working, then a smaller back up unit will then be utilized. Each generator will be located in the same lower storage area of the Grocery Store Bus.

The main level will look just like a mini grocery store. Each bus will be operated by two individuals. When you first walk into the bus, you will be greeted by the driver who will take your name, check your ID and provide you with your shopping list and shopping bags. The customer will then be able to walk through the bus picking out whatever it is he or she needs for that day. Each customer will be able to pick 15 items per visit. The customer may also pick only two of the same item. Once the customer has completed their shopping they will proceed to the rear of the bus. There will be a check out person that will take the customers shopping list and record all the items the customer has chosen. Once the items have been listed on the shopping list, the customer will sign the shopping list acknowledging what items have been received and a copy will be given to the customer and kept for permanent record keeping for the bus. All items given away need to be carefully tracked and monitored for legal reasons. The Health Department wants each bus to have the ability to know when, where and to whom food items were distributed on any given day. That is why the shopping list is a very important monitoring system that needs to be used with every food bus distribution.

The types of food being carried on each bus is very important. There can not be too much perishable food such as fresh vegetables and fruits. It is important to have them, but on a limited supply. Each Grocery Store Bus will carry items that can be stored easily and have a long shelf life. With the refrigerated units right on the bus, the selection can be increased and perishable food can be stored longer and safer. A typical bus will carry the following items:

Each buses daily food items will vary each time it goes on the road. Food items that are provided on each bus will be determined based on donations and other food availability each day. Having a wide variety of food is very important for this program. What we want to provide is good food to people in need, not just food people don’t want. The goal of each bus is to provide a great food experience to each person through the Grace of God.

The operation of these buses will be very simplistic. With simplicity comes a lower cost of operation. The main cost will be the food on the bus. As stated earlier, each bus can operate with just two people on the bus and maybe one to two people in a central warehouse where all food will be stored, loaded and put on the bus for delivery. These buses can even work in conjunction with a food bank that can be developed or enhanced through this program. The following will illustrate the costs involved in getting this program started and its continued operation;

Again, the program is simple and so are the costs. The most expensive part of this program is acquiring the food. That is why is it makes sense to work with a food bank that already has food in their warehouse and we can build upon that with the growing resources that God will provide for this service to our Brothers and Sisters.

XI. Food Bank

The Grocery Store Bus program will need some place to house the buses each day. The most logical place for this will be at an already operational Food Bank or one that needs to be created to service this need. All donations and food purchases will need to be brought into this central Food Bank. This Food Bank will be open to the public and will be able to service a wide range of individuals as well.

The first choice is to work with a Food Bank that is already established. By doing this we do not need to start from scratch in putting a Food Bank together. There are plenty of Food Banks already in operation. Choosing the right one will be the challenge. The Food Bank needs to have space to house the Grocery Store Bus during off hours. There needs to be loading and unload capabilities along with a simple electrical access to keep the refrigeration units running while the bus is parked. These are simple needs but are crucial to the simple and continued operation of the Grocery Store Buses.

The advantage to the Food Bank that works with the Grocery Store Bus program is the enhanced resources they will have with all the blessings God will bring upon their program. You see, when a program is developed that works for God and God’s children, the Lord will bless that operation beyond imagination. We can expect a large abundance of Food and money coming into any program that works with this Grocery Store Bus program.

The ideal scenario would be a Church that already has a Food Bank or is developing one. Most Church settings will have the needed space for the bus wherever the Food Bank is that they are operating. Another necessity is a kitchen or the ability to establish a full service kitchen for the bus program. The Grocery Store Bus program is just the beginning of many other programs that will work hand in hand with each other. But the need for the kitchen at first with this program is the ability to do daily baking for the buses and provide fresh breads and other products for the buses daily runs.

Let’s breakdown the capabilities needed for the Food Banks that will work with the Grocery Store Bus program;

1) Willingness to house the Grocery Store Buses during off hours 2) Ability to provide easy loading and unloading access 3) Desire to share resources with the Grocery Store Bus program which include warehousing, food donations and purchases and food distribution to the needy4) Easy to use electrical needs for the buses during off hours 5) An established kitchen or the ability and willingness to establish a kitchen 6) Willingness to house the Clothing Store Bus program.

Another requirement for the Food Bank is the willingness to house the Clothing Bus program which will be discussed next. A Food Bank can be established from scratch if needed. But God has already provided many such programs. We just need to allow God to guide us to that program and work with them to not only provide for the Grocery Store Bus program but to enhance the current Food Bank operation that is chosen.

XII. Clothing Buses

The next logical step to helping our Brothers and Sisters through Christ is to provide adequate clothing to all in need. This will be done by distributing clothes with the Clothing Bus program. This program will be very similar to the Grocery Store Bus program, but will be with clothes instead of food.

The Clothing Buses will not need to make as many stops as the Grocery Store Buses. Food is something that needs to be distributed more often than clothes. This will allow each Clothing Bus to make more stops per week and service more areas per week than the Grocery Store Bus program. Each Clothing Bus will service an area one time per week instead of two. This will allow each clothing bus to service twelve areas per week instead of just six. The Clothing Bus will service each area that the Grocery Store Bus services. The Clothing Buses will also service areas that currently have an established Food Bank but does not have an established Clothing Bank. This will help provide more services to more people in any given area.

Because there are not any formal regulations on distributing clothing, there is less tracking that needs to be done. The Grocery Store Buses require a complete and accurate account of food distributed and to whom it was distributed. The Clothing Buses will be accountable for its distribution, but will not need the exact accounting of every piece of clothing. The structure and design of the Clothing Bus will be similar to the Grocery Store Bus. The customer will enter the front of the bus where he or she will be greeted and given a shopping bag. The customer will then go into the bus and pick a total of 20 articles of clothing. Things such as underwear and sox will be bundled in packs of six or more depending on how they are received in the collection phase. These bundles will count as only one item. Shirts, pants, jackets, shoes will all count as one item. Hats and gloves will be bundled and count as only one item as well as packs of t-shirts for men and boys and bras and panties for women and girls. Once all the items are picked out, the customer will verify the quantities selected with the Helper in the rear of the bus and will be sent on their way with a smile, looking forward to seeing them again soon!

XIII. Clothing Bank

Just as the Grocery Store Buses need a Food Bank to work with, the Clothing Buses need a Clothing Bank to work with as well. The ideal situation is to find a Food Bank that also has a Clothing Bank. That way the services can be shared in the way they are described in the Grocery Store Bus program and the Food Bank program. If needed, a Clothing Bank can be established from scratch. The implementation of a Clothing Bank is much easier and more simplified than the needs in implementing a Food Bank.

XIV. The Rescue Ranch

This ranch can be the beginning of change for many of the homeless, people with addictions, men and women coming out of prison or anyone else that has a need for change. This ranch will be a refuge for these people to come to and work, get sober, refresh their life and begin again. This is a working ranch providing real services with real people doing the work. These people are the ones in need and hopefully by spending time at the ranch they can rediscover who they are and be able to transition back into society by leaving their troubles back at the ranch!

When you come to the ranch you are given a job. This job will be your commitment to the room and board you will receive while at the ranch. All ranch workers will be able to live and breathe the working environment provided at the ranch during the day. At night, each rancher will receive life skills training that will hopefully help them identify their problems and discover ways to live a productive and happy life.

Each potential rancher will stay on the ranch for three to six months learning to understand who they are and how they need to change. Once this time is up, the individual will not just be left to fend for themselves. We want to have active and flourishing businesses and business partners through “Hope for the Poor” and provide these people with a job, a place to live and a new beginning after finding out who they are on the ranch!

XV. Homeless Kitchen

We begin to see how all of these services will interact and work with each other. The Clothing Buses need a Clothing Bank. The Grocery Store Buses need a Food Bank. The Food Bank needs a kitchen. The Food Bank’s kitchen needs to be able to become a Homeless Kitchen for people in need of daily meals. Now the selection process becomes more direct in who is providing services and where these services are provided. Each service being talked about here is done in a specific order. Each service will grow upon the previous service established. That is why it is important to establish each service while keeping an eye on what the next service will need and how it can be provided for as well. For instance, a Food Bank kitchen may only be a temporary solution until a Homeless Shelter and Homeless Kitchen are developed. There is a necessity to have a kitchen in the Food Bank, but it can move with the development of other facilities. These facilities could very well be housed together or they can become separate facilities based on the developmental process.

To feed the hungry means we need to be in an area that the people in need can access without too much inconvenience. So it does not make sense to have this program in a wealthy or higher end part of town. It needs to be in an area that the Homeless and the impoverished dwell and could use some help that is nearby and easy to access.

The Homeless Kitchen will not be like most of the “Soup Kitchens” commonly seen. This facility will be open sixteen hours per day, seven days per week. Meals will be prepared to order and a staff will be on hand to help serve and clear the food for the people in need. We are not trying to create a place for people to come and feel like they are a drain on society. We are creating a place where people can come and feel loved. A place that people can’t wait to go to again and feel the kindness and gentle surroundings that can only come from a place that God has established. This will be a place where People are serving People and loving what they are doing each and every day. This is a place of equality in God’s eyes and no one will ever be treated with less service or kindness for coming to this Homeless Kitchen for help. These people will be treated just like they were being treated in a four star restaurant. The only difference being is that all payment will be made with God’s Love!

Now there will be some differences than that of a four star restaurant. But the basic idea will be to serve and satisfy all that come into the building. The meal plan will probably not have Lobster Tail and Prime Rib each night, but the food will be good and it will be prepared with all the considerations given in a top notch restaurant. A facility like this will need a lot of staff and will need to be well funded. It was mentioned earlier that all these programs are designed to work together and feed off of one another. The personnel will be provided through other programs that still need to be discussed. Just keep in mind that everything that is being developed will be done with Love.

When someone comes into the Homeless Kitchen, he or she will be given a meal ticket. That meal ticket will be given to the Host on duty and the Host will seat the customer upon arrival. The meal tickets will be given at the entrance of the Shelter and can be passed out to people in need on the streets as well. Once a person is seated, they will have a total of thirty minutes to order their meal and eat it. The servers in charge of each table will be responsible for making sure the customer is seated quickly, receives their food and has plenty of time to eat during their stay. We do not want to create a rushed atmosphere, but we do need to be efficient so the maximum amount of people may eat and receive food each day. Food may not be taken out of the facility each day. The customers need to come in, sit down and eat and enjoy what is put before them that day. Services will be provided for longer term needs for individuals. This facility is not designed to serve any other food needs other than that individual meal. This experience should be as similar to a regular restaurant experience as possible.

XVI. Prison Concerts

One of the biggest problems you have with the men and women in prison is that they lack hope. They do not have anything to look forward to while in prison and a lot of them have nothing to look forward to when they get out. The Prison Concert program can address both those issues.

Many outside agencies come into prison facilities to provide support and a lending ear to the inmates problems. Most of these programs fall short and do not even scratch the surface of the men and women incarcerated. Two things draw a large number of inmates to an outside event. Those things are food and music. The Prison Concerts will provide both!

Each concert will be equipped with some great music, information for the inmate on outside programs along with some great food to enjoy after the show. By providing both of these elements, you will guarantee to have a great turn out to each Prison Concert and be able to deliver a message that reaches the masses and not the few.

XVII. “House of Hope” Shelter

This is not like most Homeless Shelter Facilities. This shelter will provide short term and long term care to the individual if desired. The idea is to keep these individuals coming back for help and be able to impress upon them the Love of God. Hopefully somewhere during this process a seed will be planted and God can begin his work upon that individual.

This shelter will provide a three day care center per visit. The individual may come back as many times as they want, but after three days will have to go through the entire intake procedure again. The intake procedure will not be obtrusive or long in duration by any means. But it will need to be done every three days unless the individual wants to move on to the long term care needs process.

The intake process will be as follows:

1) Registration with Staff at the Intake Center for the Facility 2) Drop off of laundry at the Laundry Center 3) Mandatory Shower in private showering area 4) Mandatory appointment to the Barber Shop right after the Shower appointment 5) Bed assignment and laundry pick up 6) Receipt of $20.00 on day #1

Intake Center

The Intake Center will be the first step in coming into the Homeless Shelter Facility. The individual will sit with an Intake Counselor and provide all the information needed upon entry. The basic information will be name, SSN, DOB and a photo being taken for the issuance of the ID for the three day stay. Each Individual will then be given an ID that needs to be with them at all times during their stay. This ID will allow them to come into the facility during each day. Without the ID, individuals will not be allowed to enter the Facility.

The Homeless Shelter will have a specific entry and exit location for clients to leave and enter the building. After the client has gone through the intake procedures and has an identification card, he or she is able to leave and enter the facility at any time through the designated entry and exit areas as long as they have their ID Cards available. Upon re- entry to the facility, each client will have to show their ID and be susceptible to a complete search. No client can enter the facility with any drugs or alcohol in their possession. Each client will also have to take a breathalyzer test upon entry into the facility. No client may enter the facility if they have been drinking or are obviously intoxicated.

The two main functions of the Intake Center will be to gather information on each client wanting to enter the facility, provide them with an ID card, instruct them on the rules of the facility and direct them to the next phase of the intake process.

Laundry Center

The next step for each client entering the Homeless Shelter will be the mandatory laundering of their clothing. Any clothing the client is bringing into the facility will be subject to the mandatory laundry procedures. The client will be limited to one bag of clothes along with the clothes they are wearing. Any other items the client has with them at the time will be stored in the storage facility that will be located next to the Laundry Center.

When the client enters the Laundry Center, they will be given a private dressing room that will be equipped with a bath robe, bath towel and needed hygiene and shower supplies for the three day stay. The client will take the clothes off they are wearing and put the robe on and bring the other provided items with them to the laundry check in area. Each client will them turn all their clothes into the Laundry Facility to be laundered. All other possession will be assigned a locker and the client can access those items upon their leaving the facility. They will not have access to those items during their stay. The client will be given a ticket notating their laundry and personal possessions. The clothing will then be put through the laundry cycle and the personal possessions will be stored. The client will then be instructed to take their towel and toiletry supplies to the private shower facility so they can take their mandatory shower.

Shower Facility

Each client will be required to take a shower before they can enter the living area of the Homeless Shelter. The Shower Facility will be equipped with private shower stalls that are comfortable and easy to access. Upon entry, each client will be greeted by a Shower Attendant and directed on where to go and if they need anything else before they begin showering. The Attendants will be equipped with additional shampoos, deodorants, towels and anything else a client might need in the showering process. Again, the client will have nothing except their bath robe and their shower accessories.

Once a client is done showering, they will put their bath robe back on and will be directed to the Barber shop. The client will drop off their towels and will be given a small carry bag for their additional hygiene supplies.

Barber Shop

This will be a very enjoyable experience for each client and will also serve as a good hygiene and personal cleanliness necessity. A big concern will be that the facility stays free and clean of any outside agitating problems such as lice and other bodily problems. Along with providing each client with a clean and presentable appearance, the Barber Shop will address these concerns as well.

Each client will be required to experience a complete shampoo and hair cut. The ambience of the Barber Shop will be that of the Old Time Barbers with nice comfortable barber chairs and a complete grooming experience. Imagine a big open area with lots of comfortable chairs for sitting, magazines, televisions and just a genuine 50’s décor. It will be just like being back in 1955 at the local Barber Shop with your Dad. Before each hair cut, the client will be required to have a complete shampoo treatment. This treatment will be complete with a lice killing cleanse and rinse as well as a shampoo treatment. This will help eliminate the fear of lice infestation in the facility. Another problem that will be addressed is the infestation of crabs. The Barber will ask the client about this problem and will provide the needed treatment ointments for that client to use if this problem does exist.

The idea behind this service is not to make a client feel like we are combing them over and scrubbing them down. This experience should be one that is comfortable, enjoyable and actually something to look forward to each week.

Bed Assignment and Laundry Pick Up

After each client has received their Barber Shop makeover, they will then be directed to the Day Room area specifically for new intake clients. This area will be a very comfortable room that is connected to the Homeless Kitchen Facility. This is where each client will wait for their laundry to be completed and bed assignment as well. This facility will be complete with televisions, table games and comfortable chairs, sofa’s and other amenities as well. Each client will be able to access food while they wait and be essentially be very comfortable until they receive their laundered clothing and a bed assignment for the next three days.

Once the client’s laundry is finished, they will be called to the laundry pick up window. The Laundry Attendant will then be able to give the client their laundry and provide them with their bed assignment as well. The client will be directed to their bed assignment and get them set up for the next several days. The Homeless Shelter will be complete with bunk bed set ups along with clothing storage for each client. The clients will have drawer space as well as an individual locker assignment. The drawer space is for clothing storage and the locker assignment will be for any other personal belongings or daily hygiene and shower needs. The client will also receive a clothing voucher that can be used in the clothing bank for two pants, two shirts and two sets of undergarments. A client can also get one pair of shoes every sixty days if needed.

Picking Up Your Money

Once a client has been completely set up and has their laundry and bed assignment, the client can then go back down to the Entry and Exit area and receive their $20.00 for their first nights stay. Each client will receive a voucher good for $20.00 upon pick up of their laundry and bed assignment. This is the voucher they will turn into the attendant at the Entry and Exit area for their money. Once the client receives their $20.00, they will receive a voucher for another $10.00 for the next day. Once that voucher is redeemed, they will receive a voucher for $5.00 for the third day. Each client will be able to receive a total of $35.00 for each three days stay as well as meals and clothing.

Again, the purpose of this facility is not to keep people rotating through the three day intake and stay process, although some people will do that just for the money and the clothes. The idea is to get them long term care and help them put their lives back together. This can only come from their desire to change. Until then, we can only provide the love and care to our Brothers and Sisters through this program.

Worship Center

This is not a typical Worship Center you may see in a Church. This facility is used seven days a week and will provide all types of education programs, entertainment opportunities and whatever else can be imagined in a building that can serve all people and not just a small body of Believers. This facility will hold Wednesday and Sunday services. But these services will be more of a concert with a feast to follow. There won’t be someone standing up on a pulpit telling us how to live our lives. This will be a weekly celebration of friends in a united body of people coming together to sing and eat! That is a real Church!

XVIII. Medical Facility

The most needed services for individuals that is not readily available is medical care.The reason being is the cost involved with providing such care. This is a concern for this facility as well. The one thing we need to continue to rely upon is the power of God and that God will provide all things needed for his children. This is something we must have faith in and believe that God will provide. This Medical Facility will provide needed General Medical Practitioner Services to families and individuals in need. This facility will also provide OBGYN services to women as well. There will most likely be a need for extended services beyond what this facility will provide. These cases will be evaluated on an individual basis. Ideally the Medical Facility will be located near the Homeless Shelter Facility. These programs can work hand in hand with each other providing needed services. On the first visit to the Medical Facility there will be no requirement for the individual needing care. The client will be received with love and will be provided the needed care. For additional visits there will be one requirement. That is to attend a Church Service or Bible Study provided by whatever Church Facility the Medial Facility will be working with at the time. Individuals will not be required to continue going to services, but they will need to get a registration from the Church Pastor so they can continue to utilize the Medical Facility services. The goal here is to get the individual to enter the House of God. Once that is accomplished, we need to pray that God will do his work on that person. Hopefully opening their eyes and ears to the Word of God and becoming a changed person by living the Word of God as well. If that does not happen, then services will not be denied as long as the client met that one requirement of going to a Church Service.

XIX. Dental Clinic

The Dental Clinic will be set up along the same lines as the Medical Facility. The same parameters will be set in place as far as providing care. The Facility itself will provide basic Dental needs which will include; Cleaning, Cavity Filling, Root Canals, Caps and other basic services. The Clinic will also provide a complete Denture program for those in need. No other cosmetic procedures will be available.

XX. The Assistance Center

This is where the long term care programs will be taking place for clients. The ultimate goal is to get all people in need to come to this facility. This is where the long term caring can begin. The Assistance Center is developed to solve the long term need of individuals with the healing power of Jesus Christ. This healing power comes not from some magical wave of the wand, but a sincere caring for someone who needs a place to live, a job and sense of belonging. That is what we will provide at The Assistance Center.

Ideally someone will come into the Homeless Shelter and register for a three day stay. Once in the shelter, they will be able to access all we have to offer through these programs. The job of all the staff members is to inform the clients that there is long term help if they want it. We can provide jobs, a permanent home and a family of people we call the Church. Once a client is informed of the availability of these services, then they will come to The Assistance Center and begin the process.

Getting Started

A client will come into The Assistance Center and ask for help. The client will not be given some clip board to fill out information, that client will be referred to a case manager immediately. The client will be given an appointment with the case manager and then help is on its way!

The case manager will welcome the client into his or her office and begin taking down the information needed to get this person the help they need. It is the case managers job to make sure this person has what they are coming in and asking for in terms of help. In essence, this case manager has become this client’s new best friend. Hopefully the case manager will be able to enable this client to become a helping hand to others as well. Once relationships are started, they are never severed. This is only the beginning not the beginning of the end. We live in the grace of Christ Jesus forever. That is how we need to start looking at all relationships and people that come into our lives. We will know them forever!!! At the end of this meeting, the case manager will have all the needed information to complete a file and begin the life long commitment to this individual. This will be a commitment that will begin with a helping hand and evolve into a working and loving relationship with all God’s children.

Let’s Get Working

The first step in the healing process is to get someone working. Nothing is more satisfying then knowing they can get up each day and go to work. This will help elevate the self worth of an individual and begin an internal process of desire and belonging for an individual. The Assistance Center will have access to all jobs available through “Hope for the Poor”. This Non Profit will be in a direct relationship with The Assistance Center providing many jobs to clients in need. These jobs may also begin in some of the programs mentioned earlier with the Homeless Shelter, Homeless Kitchen, Grocery Store Buses, Clothing Buses, Medical Facility, Dental Facility and any other jobs associated with this program. Do you see how these things are starting to work together? So a job will be found based on the client’s skills and desires. This will be the job of the case manager to find the right job for each client.

Long Term Housing

Once a job is found, the next step is to get the client into a long term housing situation. This housing situation will most likely be for six months to a year. A Christian Community will be developed and talked about later on in this information. This community will have single family homes, townhomes and apartments. The ideal situation would be to find adequate living arrangements in this community.

A new client will begin their living quarters in the apartment or townhome community. This will be the long term temporary housing. I know that sounds like an oxymoron. The purpose of these dwellings is to have the client work with their job and make sure they will not quit in a few weeks and really want to make a change in their lives. If change is what they are after, then a multitude of opportunities can open up for that client through the Grace of God. But unfortunately the enemy, who is Satan, overtakes individuals and leads them astray. We want to prevent that from happening. We want to offer each client the opportunity for change. But we still need to be careful with everyone and have discernment just in case Beelzebub is using people to try and destroy God’s good work. We all know that is not possible, that is why we use caution before moving a client into a life long housing situation.

After being in the apartment or townhome community for six months to a year, then a client can move into the single family permanent housing. These will be beautiful two to three bedroom units in a wonderful Christian Housing Community setting. These houses will be affordable and all clients no matter where they came from can qualify and live in these houses if that is what they want through the power of God. Jesus is always there for us with his hands stretched out waiting for us to come and embrace him. This is just one more way we can provide that security in someone’s life through the power of Jesus Christ our Savior.

So now someone has come into the Homeless Shelter and has asked for help. Through the power of God, we have taken that homeless individual, given them shelter, food and a sense of caring and love. That love has taken someone from homeless to gainfully employed, living in a beautiful home and all their needs are met from medical to financial and then hopefully somewhere along the way a spiritual uplifting occurred through the power of Jesus Christ. How awesome is that!

XXI. The Learning Academy

The most important job we have as teachers of God’s Word is to provide spiritual leadership to our children. What better way to do that than to have a school that is centered on the Word of God and the higher education of our children. That is the purpose of the Christian Academy. Many Christian Academies exist in this world. We are not trying to replace any of them. We simply want to provide more environments for our children to live and excel in the teachings of God’s Word.

This Academy will house Kindergarten through High School. Everything provided will be the best that is available to offer from Teachers to classrooms to sporting events. This will be talked about in more detail once the beginning programs have been put in place.

XXII. Agape House (Halfway House Program)

Jesus speaks in the Bible that when we did not visit people in prison, we did not visit him. When we did not help the oppressed, we did not help him. We have got to make sure that all that we do, we do for God. Helping men and women in prison is one of those ways we can not fall short. The Kingdom of God is for those who are oppressed and need help. We must begin doing this with the Agape House Program.

The Halfway House System has some great intentions but fall very short of implementing good programs. Most Halfway Houses provide a place to live, food and some counseling, but not much more than that for post release Inmates. Some Counselors are very good and do help, but for the most part, the Halfway House System is just another step towards continued incarceration for the Inmates being released from prison destined for recidivism.

Arriving at Agape House

The Agape House will be different. Inmates that come to the Agape House will be treated with love, respect, kindness and a genuine feeling of hope provided by God. The current Halfway House system brings people in like cattle and don’t treat them much better. That will not be the case with the Agape House. When an Inmate arrives at the Agape House, they will be treated with Love from the moment they arrive. When a bus pulls up to the Agape House, all the current clients as well as staff will greet them at the front of the building and welcome all of them with applause and with a hug and a smile. This greeting will make them feel like they have just one the big game. They will then be escorted into the facility where a wonderful reception will await them with food and beverages and an hour long meet and greet will ensue for everyone. This will happen once every six months. Potential Clients will be screened at each correctional facility and a new group of 125 Inmates will enter the facility. This will be a very important first step for Inmates being released from prison and becoming a client of the Agape House Program. Agape means God’s Love and that is what each person will receive upon arrival and all during their stay at the facility.

Once the Client is received with a warm reception, they will then be given their room assignments for the first six months. Each Client will move rooms every six months for two years. The Agape House Program will be a two year program. That will be one of the requirements an Inmate will have to agree to before being accepted into the program. The first six months the Client will be in a two bedroom apartment with seven other men. There will be two sets of bunk beds in each room along with a bathroom. Each man will have his own dresser in their rooms. The rooms will also have a dining room, kitchen and living room area. Again, this will be a two bedroom apartment that will house eight men at one time.

Once the Clients have been given their room assignments, they will be given some time to get to their room and get situated. When the Client receives their room assignment, they will be given a welcome packet that will be full of information about the program, room key, ID card and various other orientation information. The Client will be responsible for looking over that information during this time before they are served dinner. All Clients will be responsible for showing up to dinner on the first night. This will be a full sit down dinner where all Clients will be given an orientation seminar from the Director and the Staff on what is expected of them and how the program will be run.

Again, this will be done with Love. God works through caring about people not making them fell worthless. Everything that is done in the Agape House will be about caring for the Clients and helping them succeed in life and hopefully plant the seeds for spiritual growth.

For the next two days, Clients will be taking time to get to know the facility and its amenities, meeting with their Case Manager and will be given all the information they need to be successful in the Agape House Program. By the third day, each Client will be starting their assigned job that will pay them an hourly wage. The first job assignment will be entry level positions on whatever program the Agape House is participating in through “Hope for the Poor”. Advancement in pay and position will depend on the ability and the desire of each individual Client.

Beginning Work

As stated earlier, each Client will be given a job upon arrival to the facility. That’s right, jobs will be provided for the Clients. They will begin working immediately. This will be great for self esteem and for the ability to provide for themselves and their families. The idea is to provide the Client with a job for the rest of their lives. Giving a Client the ability to work in all economic climates through the Grace of God is the ultimate goal.

The first jobs offered to Clients will be entry level positions. They will consist of Concession Sales, Janitorial, Landscaping, General Labor etc. These positions will only pay minimum wage. Each Client must start at this level for the first six months. After the first six months, each Client will be advanced through promotions within the jobs being provided or the ability to find employment outside the Agape House employment opportunities.

Advancing in the Program

Advancement in the Program will occur every six months. Job advancement can occur any time. But Program advancement will occur every six months. After the first six months, Clients will go from an eight man room to a four man room. Clients will move into a large one bedroom apartment with four individuals. After six months in that room, Clients will move into a one bedroom apartment with only one other roommate. For the last six months of the program, Clients will have their own studio or one bedroom apartment for themselves. So you can see that with advancing in the program, each Client will receive a benefit in living conditions. The idea is to eventually get them out into their own home after the two year completion of the program with a firm and stable employment situation and hopefully a renewed awareness of God.

Program Requirements

Each Client will be responsible for certain programs and teachings while in the Agape House. These teachings are geared toward getting former offenders to understand who they are and who they can become through the power of Jesus Christ. These are the following required programs on a weekly basis for Clients;

The Agape House will be established to house five hundred men at a time. Each man will be required to pay his rent and pay for his meals, utilities and Case Management fees. All these will be a standard monthly charge and will be deducted from their pay for the first year. After the first year, Clients will be required to set up their own personal bank accounts and then pay the facility from their own accounts.

XXIII. Alpha Life Program

This program is similar to the Halfway House program and will actually run in coordination with the Halfway House Program. All Alpha Life Program Clients will live in the same facility and operate under the same guidelines as the Agape House Program. The only difference will be that there is no monitoring for 24 location requirements. All Agape House Clients must be accounted for 24 hours per day 7 days per week. The Alpha Life Program Clients do not need that detailed supervision. They are on Parole. They will have to adhere to the program guidelines if they want to be a Client in this facility.

XXIV. The Fellowship Community

This is one of the spoils of God’s good Grace. Imagine a beautiful neighborhood full of beautiful two and three bedroom homes. This community is beautifully landscaped and houses a Championship 18 Hole Golf Course. The grounds also has a wonderful Worship Center along with an adjacent shopping center that caters to all the neighborhoods needs. Any one of God’s children can live in this community if they desire a relationship with God and participate in this service program. Employees and Clients alike can live in this utopia of God’s Love.

Qualifications

Simply Love God. The idea is to create a community that is God fearing and wants to do nothing but serve their Lord and Savior. Understanding why Jesus died on the cross and the power of his Forgiving Blood that he sacrificed for us. That’s it!

Financial Obligations

These homes will be funded completely by the services of Hope. This will be completely explained in the Business Concepts explanation and will not go into detail here. But the Financial Obligations will be available to everyone. These are the parameters of each single family dwelling:

1) The Single Family Homes will be priced at $150,000.00 2) The Townhomes will be priced at $80,000.00 3) No money down will be required 4) Payments will be in line with the homeowners financial abilities 5) All equity in the home will be given to the homeowner after three years of occupation of the home (Homes will be valued at $300,000.00 + from day one for a single family home and $150,000+ for a Townhome) 6) Home Equity Loans will be provided for the Homeowner through a community approved financial institution7) Homeowners will be subject to eviction if not adhering to community covenants and guidelines during the first three years of occupation

Each community will have approximately 500 Single Family Homes and approximately 250 Townhome Units. A diagram of the prospective community is provided below;